English for the beginner elementary course (67)

Present perfect

1. Listen to the five people talking about different forms of communication. Which questions below is each person answering?

1. How many phone calls have so far today?

2. How many e-mails have you received this week?

3. How many hours have you spend on the internet this week?

4. How many mobile phones have you owned in your life?

5. How many letters have you written this year?

6. How much TV have you watched this week?

7. How many books have you read this year?

8. How many computers have you owned?

2. listen and complete the sentences.

a) I’ve spent------------ on the internet so far this week.

b) I haven’t watched ----------- so far this week.

c) I’ve had --------- in my life so far.

d) I haven’t written ------- so far this year.

e) I’ve read ------------ this week so far.

Grammar

1. We use the Present perfect to describe past actions that are connected to the present. Very often they happen in a time period that is not finished.

I’ve sent about ten e-mails (so far today).

I’ve owned three computers (in my life)

I haven’t written any letters (this week).

We do not say exactly when these things happened with the Present perfect- it is not important.

2. We form the present perfect with have/has+past participle.

a) regular past participles: verb+ed

I’ve watched fifteen hours of TV this week.

b) Irregular past participles: Made, sent, written, read.

He’s read about eight books so far this year.

complete the table

+ I/you/we/they ‘-------- He/she                ‘---------	sent	an e-mail.
-I/you/we/they  haven’t He/she              --------	got	a  text messages.
? -------  I/you/we/they   ------- he/she	written	a note?

4a) write sentences answering the questions in the questionnaire.(work in your books).

I’ve made two phone calls so far today.

b) Compare your sentences in groups.

I haven’t made any phone calls so far today. How about you?

5. Write the past participles to complete the questions.

Have you ever-----

a) -------------- (write) a letter in English?

a) -------------- (phone) the emergency services?

a) -------------- (lose) your mobile?

a) -------------- (forget) to post an important letter?

a) -------------- (buy) a book online?

a) -------------- (have) a virus on your computer?

Note: We use ever and never to talk about our life experience. We use ever with questions and negative verbs and never with positive verbs. Examples: Q: Have you ever seen the Taj Mahal?                   A: I haven’t ever seen the Taj Mahal. OR: I have never seen the Taj Mahal. (The two answer above have the same meaning.i.e no experience of seeing the Taj Mahal. However, using never is more common).

6. Work in pairs. Ask your partner the questions above and answer them using the following structures:

I’ve never ---- ----- written a letter in English.

                        ----phoned the emergency services.

I’ve written a few /some/ lots of letters in English.

I’ve phoned the emergency services once/twice/many times.